Mount Vernon Residents Shocked After Firefighter Admits To Gun Charges
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A professional firefighter in Mount Vernon is now a convicted felon, snagged in a gun trafficking case.
As CBS2's Lou Young reporter, firefighting is a job for heroes. But one member of the Mount Vernon Fire Department has now resigned after admitting he sold illegal guns on the streets.
"It's surprising and disappointing," said Manny Castillo of Mount Vernon.
Henry-George Thomas abruptly quit this week after his new boss discovered a pending federal conviction for weapons sales – including a silencer-equipped Mac-11 which went for roughly $2,000.
The feds allegedly got Thomas on four different gun buys, but they think he was at it longer than they were aware. The fact of the gun sales are damning enough without considering the locations he chose for the transactions – among them a stretch of Lincoln Avenue near fire department headquarters.
"It is kind of scary, because firefighters are supposed to, like, help us out and everything. They're supposed, like, protect us and everything – just like the cops," said Camila Rodriguez of Mount Vernon.
Bob Kelley, the new Mount Vernon public safety commissioner, said he had to break the news to the new mayor.
"I collected the information. I presented it to the mayor," Kelley said.
Kelley was stuck with an unenviable task, because Henry-George Thomas is Mayor Richard Thomas' half-brother.
"His response to me was unequivocal," Kelley said. "It was affirmative, 'Do the right thing.'"
The firefighter quit before he could be fired. Residents said it was ironic that the incoming reform mayor had to start his job with a member of his own family in trouble.
"Sometimes family, you don't know what your family is doing. And when you realize the truth, then you wake up and smell the coffee and do the right thing," said Victor Ortiz of Mount Vernon.
Henry-George Thomas lives in Danbury, and will be sentenced in U.S. District Court on March 24.
Richard Thomas was sworn in for his first term as mayor of Mount Vernon in November 2015. He previously served as a Democratic city councilman. He was unavailable for comment Wednesday, CBS2 was told.
